


Heavy

by UnstableAngel



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: As I binge cpd for the first time, F/M, Jay Halstead Whump, Season/Series 02, Starting way back in season 2
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:28:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27626809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnstableAngel/pseuds/UnstableAngel
Summary: When Jay goes to visit the bartender who took a bullet for him in the hospital after S2 Ep3, a woman comes over to make sure he is alright.They hit it off and are generally not as messy as other CPD relationships.----------------------------------------Drabbles through the seasons
Relationships: Jay Halstead/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

Out of the corner of her eyes, Rhea sees the man wait until the lady with him leaves, look around for a second, then collapse to the floor, propped up by the wall at his back. They are currently in a hospital and it's hard to tell whether or not what he heard was good.

Rhea, on the other hand, has just heard  _ great _ news, which is why she finds herself heading over to him. Unheard of behavior for her usually introverted self. She approaches carefully, the man is clearly into his feelings and not expecting company. "Hey," she says softly, "are you okay?"

Despite her efforts, he's startled and nearly slams his arm into a nearby chair. He settles and swipes roughly down his face. "Yeah," he says, voice breaking. He clears his throat and tries again. "Just heard some good news."

Because Rhea is the queen of eyebrow sass and sass in general, she arches an eyebrow and lets out an unconvinced "mhmm."

He huffs out a breath with a tiny uptick at the corners of his mouth. "It is good, I swear...just..."

"Well if it was good news, how about you come out with my family and me to celebrate. Unless you had other plans?"

"No. I don't want to be around anyone I know right now," he replies, somber again.

"Well I don't even know your name yet so I don't think I fall under that category."

"True enough. Name's Jay by the way," he says, cocking his head and seeming settled. He looks pretty like this, she thinks.

Rhea replies with her name and then playfully kicks one of his shoes. Jay squints at her then asks, "You sure it’s ok for me to join you?" At her enthusiastic nod, he gets up. "What are we celebrating?"

"My 5-year-old nephew just beat cancer, so we're going to Dave & Buster's."

Jay laughs, a full one this time. "I was very wrong. I thought this celebration was going to involve alcohol."

"Does that mean you're not down?"

"No that sounds great. Seems like I should congratulate you nephew."

* * *

Jay was surprisingly good with her older brother's kid and Abhimanyu seemed pretty taken with the tall police officer, as she finds out when the two of them meet. Abhi spends an excessively long time oohing and ahhing at his badge. They spent more time together than she had with him, which like, she did not expect. 

Over the course of the night, she had dealt with her still giddy sister-in-law, Diya, elbowing her not so subtly in the ribs and waggling her eyebrows from the skeeball lane next to hers. Her brother had bro-d out with Jay while making 'what are your intentions with my sister' jokes and even her parents joined in on the fun. Jay had just waved his hand when she had tried to stop them, so she let them enjoy Abhi's freedom from cancer. Eventually though, Abhi had begun to lag so Jay came to stand by her.

"Thank you for inviting me," he had said, smiling broadly like he had all night. "He's amazing."

"Yeah. The little man has gone through a lot but he's still standing." She had bumped his shoulder, "though it seems like he'll be sleeping soon. They might split soon."

Just then Diya came up and winked badly at her. "We're going to head home. You two should keep the party going without us. There's a good bar not far from here if you take Jay's ride."

Rhea had been bright red, gently slapping Diya away from them. "I'm so sorry about them. You can definitely ignore her and ditch me if you want."

"Not a chance," he had said smiling gently, "if you're sure you're ok getting in a stranger's car."

"You're the police, so I'd say I'm ok."

And that was how they had ended up at a hole in the wall Mexican place eating tacos. Not exactly what Diya had in mind. They'd driven to the bar she had suggested, but been sidetracked by food.

“So since you know that I’m police, I think it’s only fair that you tell me about you,” Jay says after they order.

Rhea shakes her head cheekily. “You’ve met pretty much all of my family, and yet I’m the one that needs to open up?” She pauses for dramatic effect. “I don’t think so, this is going to be a two-way street. I tell you something, you tell me something.”

“Ok fine, but I think I should get a free pass on asking what you do,” he says, taking a sip of his drink.

“I work as an optimization consultant for small businesses,” Rhea says, puffing out her chest a little.

Jay clearly notices. “So way out of my league then?” he asks, teasing. “But really,” he continues, not waiting for an answer, “that makes you unique from literally anyone I know. Everyone’s either police, fire department, or med.”

“Really? What about your parents? Any siblings?”

“My mom is gone and my dad is complicated,” he replies as if he has repeated this a dozen times, his expression and mood unchanged, “and my older brother is a doctor at Gaffney, actually.”

Rhea decides to play it his way. “I’m sorry about your parents,” she says, then leaves it at that when he flaps his hand dimissively. “Have I seen this doctor brother?”

“He’s annoying enough that you probably would remember if had you met him,” he jokes. “Will is a redhead and he’s shorter than me, no matter what he says.”

“So he’s definitely taller,” she responds. “I’m a younger sibling, I know how this works.”

“Rude,” he says, sticking his tongue out.

Rhea hesitates for a second, then asks the question that has lived in the back of her head since she met him. “If you don’t mind me asking, was he the one you were waiting for in the hospital?”

Jay sighs heavily. “No,” he says, looking years older as he scrubs his palms over his jeans, “I was actually there to check on someone who took a bullet for me.” At Rhea’s wide eyes he continues, “During a raid, I had to take down the brother of a mobster, and then that guy put a hit out on me. Someone shot up the bar I was in and while I was unscathed, the bartender wasn’t as lucky.” 

Rhea lets out a shaky ‘oh my god’ and Jay quickly jumps to reassure her “She’s fine now and my team took care of the bounty situation so you and your family are safe, I promise. I would never-”

“No...I was just- Are you alright?” She somehow manages to force the words into a coherent sentence.

“Umm... yes? I wasn’t hit and-”

She interrupts him again, “I mean emotionally, dummy.”

He blinks at her. “Did you just call me a dummy?”

“Side effect of being around a child regularly. Now are you ok?”

Still somewhat stunned, Jay manages out to stammer out a yes. “Is that what you’re concerned about?”

“Yeah, you said the bounty was taken care of and you said it’s safe so my only question is are you ok?”

Jay relaxes back against his chair heavily and sighed. After a moment he said, “I will be. I’m just processing and honestly, hanging out with you and your family was pretty amazing.”

“I’m glad Abhi’s good news got me to ask you out then. Not usually my style.”

“No?”

“Nope. Introvert at your service. I just open up when I click with someone.” Lei says with a small blush.

“I’m honored,” he replies earnestly.

Their food arrives then and conversation is almost non existent for a few minutes, but the atmosphere does not become cold or stilted. Soon, it’s midnight and they head out.

“This was really nice,” he says when they arrive at her apartment, looking down at his feet. “Could I see you again?”

“Definitely,” Rhea says, then sticks her hand out expectantly for his phone.

* * *

Exactly fourteen minutes later, Jay sends Rhea a text asking if she wants to go out on Friday. She says yes.


	2. Some Point Early in Their Relationship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay and Rhea face a little challenge.

Rhea and Jay are on their  _ third? fifth? _ date the first time it happens. The two of them often meet up at random coffee shops just for each other’s company, but they stopped counting a while ago. Jay is winding his scarf around Rhea’s neck because she is eternally cold and teasing her about it while she sticks her tongue out at him over the two cups of hot chocolate in her hands. They have just stepped off the ice skating rink when Jay’s pocket vibrates and they both know it’s his work phone. Jay gulps nervously as he takes the call and starts mouthing apologies over to her. She just shakes her head and smiles at him. 

“Go, Jay,” she says quietly, handing him his cup. “I’ll grab a lyft home.”

“You sure?” He whispers back, looking torn. When she nods, he tells Voight he will be on his way and hangs up. Immediately, another apology is on his lips, but Rhea steps up and quiets him with a peck.

“We managed most of the things I planned! Go do your important police work.”

She thinks she sees him flinch a little at that, but the next second he starts making his way towards his car, throwing apologetic glances and words over his shoulder. Then, he nearly crashes into a toddler, so she grins and waves her hand at him. He waves back at her sheepishly, then vanishes around a cart.

After milling about for another half an hour or so, Rhea goes home and texts him that she made it. By the time she is ready for bed, she expects an answer because he tends to be quick, but there is nothing. She decides it’s probably of little consequence and goes to sleep.

Except when she wakes up the next morning, there is no text and that  _ is _ weird. She calls him as she’s driving to work and leaves a message at the dial tone.  _ Maybe he just crashed after he got back at whatever time. _

Rhea sends a couple texts his way over the day, but there is radio silence from him. She lets it slip to the friend she is on the phone with while driving home and receives decently unhelpful tips and reasons. They end the call laughing on an entirely different subject, but when she exits the car, the worry and confusion return.

Then, as she finishes dinner, her doorbell rings. It’s him.

She opens her door to see him trying to juggle a bottle of wine, a cup of what might be coffee, and a potted plant. “Hi,” he says, freezing.

“Hi,” she replies, grabbing the wine bottle and letting him into the apartment. “You ok? I was worried.”

“Yeah . . . Sorry about that . . . I just,” Jay stops to breathe once, deeply, as they sit on her sofa. “Was it ok that I had to run off on our date? I can’t promise it won’t happen again - honestly I can probably say that it’s going to happen again - and I just want to make sure that you’re ok with it.”

Suddenly things make sense. “Is that why you were radio silent earlier?” When he nods slowly Rhea continues. “Jay, I didn’t mind you going off to do your job. Sure, I was a  _ little _ disappointed that we didn’t get to go walking by the riverside, but that was quickly gone because I don’t actually like physical exercise,” she says with a grin.

He smiles back shyly in return. “And besides,” Rhea says, “if it’s something we actually want to do, we’ll just plan ahead so we can go back and do it some point later. We’ll figure this out.”

“But Jay? Don’t stop responding to me the next time something goes wrong ok? Every relationship has its bumps but you have to tell me what’s going on ok?”

Jay agrees easily and Rhea’s face brightens. “So tell me about your assortment of apology gifts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so honestly I've never been in a romantic relationship so... yeah. Anywho, yes, I'm still alive. Yes, I know this is short but idk man.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S3 Ep3 - Mouse is taken hostage in the precinct

When they finally have Mouse back, the team goes out to Molly’s, but Jay stays for less than an hour before he manhandles Mouse out the door with him. To be fair, Mouse barely fights him and soon they are in his rig heading home.

Neither of them talk on the way there and then they practically fall out of the car in their exhaustion. When they reach the apartment door, there is someone standing there, but it takes Jay a second to identify her.

“Rhea?”

“Hey … We’re not on for tonight are we?” she asks, smiling.

“No, no, don’t let me interrupt date night,” Mouse says, waving his hand.

Jay unlocks the door and ushers them both inside. “If you want I have garlic knots and maybe pasta.”

“Based on the fact that over the course of the day you answered with ‘yep’ three times in a row and the fact that one of the questions was ‘should we go to Mars or Jupiter for our next date’ I may have picked up enough thai to keep for leftovers or another person on the way over,” she responds.

The boys fall over each other thanking her, to which she laughs and waves them off. Jay grabs plates and they quickly dig in, silent. Mouse stays while they put on a movie, half hanging off the couch onto Jay on the floor. Rhea laughs at them from her warm nest of blankets.

After the movie, she stretches and throws one of her blankets at them. Mouse just accepts as it settles on his face, but Jay wrestles it out of his mouth. “Time for me to get home,” she announces. Mouse waves from under the blanket and stretches out to take over the rest of the couch.

Jay follows her to her car. “Hey, I’m really sorry about today,” he says, scraping a hand over his forehead. “Long story short, the father of a victim took Mouse hostage until we found her slash until Mouse could disarm him-”

“Hey, hey, slow down,” she soothes, bringing him down to nestle into her chin for a second. Jay exhales against her neck and kisses it before straightening up. “No worries, babe. I’m glad he’s ok. It looks like you guys are just tired, so I’m going to leave that alone for tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow yeah?”

He nods. “Yeah. Love you.”

“Love you too.” They kiss languidly and then she heads home.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!!  
> I don't think this series has enough whump and also why is everyone in a relationship with someone else from the same universe? so I'm fixing it.  
> Also, I saw Erin ghost him so Erin/Jay never was worth it therefore I'm pretending it doesn't exist.
> 
> Idk why but this was so much easier to write than the other fic I'm working on.


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